(CNN) - Sen. Orrin Hatch, the former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement Friday.

Read the statement after the jump:

“Justice Stevens’ has had a profound impact on the judiciary and the law. He is a remarkably dedicated public servant and a profoundly decent human being. All Americans should thank him for his dedicated service and we all wish him a happy and healthy retirement.“Every President has an obligation to nominate Judges who understand and are committed to their proper role in our system of government. As I have said for many years, someone who would be an activist judge, who would substitute their own views for what the law requires, is not qualified to serve on the federal bench. The confirmation process should be fair and thorough, and the President’s nominee should be judged by this standard. I look forward to participating in this process when the President announces his nominee to the nation’s highest court.”